Reject unrealistic beauty ideals that harm African women
Beauty is a function of consensus. To determine that something possesses beauty, it must align with socially-accepted criteria for beauty. In the Beauty Myth, Naomi Woolf writes that beauty is not a function of evolution, sex, gender, aesthetics or God, yet âwomen must embody it and men must want to possess women who embody it. […]
Cisi: Why do women desire marriage, an institution that doesn’t favour us?
The danger of having a narrow-minded notion of success is that it neglects how different shoes fit different sizes, thereby expecting people to live up to ridiculous standards that are in conflict with their real selves. Lies disguise as truths until they are questioned.  For ages, society has lied that a womanâs crowning glory is a […]
How media can help narrow gender gap in science
When Hana Saada, a doctoral female student at the University of Algiers Benyoucef Benkhedda, looks at the news, she barely sees women in science on the pages of the newspaper or on screen. Thereâs barely a sound of them on radio too. One would be think that there are few or no women in science.  The former […]
Pandemic sacrifices: How COVID-19 stalled my career
I began working as a freelance writer and journalist in 2018, after leaving my job in HR consulting. I loved writing and I wanted more flexibility: I wanted to spend time with my daughter.  After my son was born in 2019, I had less time to work on my writing career. Taking care of the baby […]
For video vixens, misogyny is an occupational hazard
We live in a patriarchal society, and when we speak of patriarchy, itâs not just about men, but a system. A social system in which men hold the power, leaving women largely excluded from it. And as with all social systems, it has mores, norms and institutions put in place to sustain it. Patriarchy is […]
End media bias against women in politics
When Patricia Olubunmi Etteh was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives in Nigeria in June 2007, she made history. She was the first woman to occupy that position, but media reportage downplayed her achievement. Initial commentary focused on her professional background as a hairdresser and beauty therapist, creating perceptions that she was not deserving […]
Why newsrooms and journalism schools need data journalism
The birth of the fourth industrial revolution has meant that newsrooms, globally, have had to consider the future of news on a daily basis. As much as new technologies have presented media practitioners with new modes of storytelling, the rate at which new tech grows and emerges has also proven intimidating for some. Where data […]
Why newsrooms and journalism schools need data journalism
The birth of the fourth industrial revolution has meant that newsrooms, globally, have had to consider the future of news on a daily basis. As much as new technologies have presented media practitioners with new modes of storytelling, the rate at which new tech grows and emerges has also proven intimidating for some. Where data […]
Covid era uncertainty could exacerbate sexual harassment
As we think about the safety of journalists, let us also consider the risks of sexual harassment and abuse that women journalists encounter at work. More than six months since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Covid-19 a pandemic on March 11, 2020, we remain in a state of uncertainty grappling with the loss […]
Safe Spaces: Chadwick Boseman’s wholesome African masculinity
When, in August 2020, celebrated actor Chadwick Boseman succumbed to a four-year battle with colon cancer, the loss was felt globally. A few days after the launch of his final screen performance in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020), colleagues and friends continue to bear testimony to Bosemanâs upstanding character. This year has been one of […]
